Shifts
by SomeSuchNonsense
Summary: A battle of his own making rages in Asgard while Loki has business with someone in the palace. Thor arrives in time to confront him, but all may not be as it seems. A rather short Lokicentric one-shot set at any time after Thor and onward. Tragedy, so character death. No slash. My first fanfic. Please tell me what you think. (Tear it apart if you hate it, I really want to know)


Title: Shifts

Even the most stable of foundations can be shaken; shifted, if you use the right tool.

A/N: Like I said, this is my first fic, so I would absolutely love to know your thoughts. Confusing? Beautiful? Overdone? Not what you expected? I hate to beg, but please leave a comment as it would give my little perfectionist soul something to think about. Thanks for reading! :)

Cover image from Sam Spratt entitled _Gilded II_

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The courtyard was silent and empty. Late-day sunlight entered through the towering archways, warming the grass and reflecting its color on gold ceilings high above. The combination created the tint of aged copper.

A dark-haired figure appeared with hardly a sound in the shadow of a golden column. He cast his gaze around the peaceful yard and quickly rose to his feet. His steps were confident but quick as he moved toward the doorway that led inside. But he paused before he had gone a few meters and tilted his head slightly, his expression somewhat puzzled. At a twitch of his fingers, there was a shift in the air. The courtyard was no longer silent.

The sounds of a fierce battle could be heard, distant but unshakably present. Clashes of metal echoed through the columns and explosions that decimated their far-off targets seemed to cause trembles in the air. Beyond it all, a rolling rumble that was both as natural and as familiar as the ground. The man smiled and took two steps back, just in time to avoid the lighting-fast landing of another man.

"Loki," the newcomer said. His voice was like ice that has been left on the street long enough to be embedded with gravel and dirt.

"Thor," Loki responded with smooth cadence. His smile had not faltered, although it took on a sadder tone.

"Why are you here? Would you not rather be reveling in the chaos you have created?" Thor spit the words as though they were bitter in his mouth, yet his expression was unyielding.

"And why are _you_ here? Do you have nothing better to occupy your time than playing nursemaid for your uncooperative little brother? Shouldn't you be fighting alongside your kinsmen?" the words were as smooth as ever, but the smile faded.

Thor adjusted his grip on the hammer.

"Asgard's forces have fought well. You are defeated, Loki. Accept it now, with the grace of a prince and do not let more blood be spilled for your hopeless cause."

Loki's eyebrow quirked and the sounds of battle faded away again, replaced not with veiled silence, but with victory cries from the soldiers of Asgard. Thor turned to gaze toward the city, letting out a relieved exhale. The soft slither of metal brought his attention back to the man beside him.

He shifted his weight quickly back so he was looking at his brother, his brow furrowed and shoulders straight again. Loki's had his dagger in hand and a malicious look on his angular face.

"Come now, brother. You couldn't have thought it would be that easy. I hardly need to defeat the entire army of Asgard to bring this kingdom to its knees" he hissed the threat and seemed coiled to strike, every bit the snake he had played so long.

Something shifted in Thor and he swung before he knew what he was doing. The bulk of Mjolnir crackled with energy as it fell into place on Loki's chest. Time in the courtyard seemed to slow and Loki looked Thor calmly in the eye as the blow landed. Everything in his chest shifted as time resumed its normal pace and he flew backwards, hitting the wall and then the ground with a thud and a grunt.

He did not move for what seemed like hours, yet by the time Thor was beside him, he had managed to get to his knees. A green glow surrounded his chest and nothing shifted as he made his way to his feet.

Thor was unmoving, shocked at first by the work of his hammer and now by his brother's quick recovery. As soon as his hammer had struck, he knew it struck true. And yet his lean brother, clad only in leather, was on his feet. On his feet and smirking at him.

Loki's mocking visage lingered a second longer and then he turned and strode in the direction he had been going originally. Thor followed a step behind, his hammer tight in his grip. Before he could use it, however, Loki's steps faltered and he sunk to his knees. Something shifted in both the men and Loki grunted as Thor went to his knees beside him.

"Brother. What is your game?"

Loki didn't respond, instead closing his eyes until his breaths evened. The green glow returned, brighter this time, and nothing shifted as he took in air. He remained still and simply breathed for a minute before moving to get back on his feet. He nearly made it, but before Thor could move to catch him, he fell heavily back to the ground with a small huff. The glow flickered and then grew brighter than before.

Thor's expression turned knowing.

"Heal yourself or accept your fate. This act will not lessen my or the council's anger."

This time, Loki allowed him a sidelong glance and shoved him away before turning back and letting out a loud and long cry. Strengthened and directed by magic, the sound echoed through the courtyard and into the palace. To Thor, it sounded like the call of a wolf alone and mourning in the forest.

When the last echo faded, Thor's expression seemed torn between suspicion and concern. It decided upon a middle ground and his mind upon a jest.

"Has my mad brother's last sense deserted him? Is your silvertongue so turned to lead that it can muster nothing more graceful than that?"

Loki's smile looked genuine, though at the same time he slouched closer to the ground and closed his eyes again.

His smile vanished at the sound of small, hurried footsteps from inside the palace. Thor looked up as a small boy stepped hesitantly out of the doorway and something shifted with finality inside him. The stark realization was evident on his face.

The child walked ever slower across the grass, fighting his feet for reasons other than youthful clumsiness.

"Now I see, Loki. Now I see everything that I refused for so long. You would have this be your final act, cruelty for the sake of empty triumph. One last battle won through trickery and cowardice. Cowardice shall stand. I'm just glad I got here in time to stop you."

Thor moved to put himself between his brother and the boy, but Loki held up a hand and he could move no further, nor could he open his mouth to shout for help. Loki winced as everything once again shifted. Then he looked at the child who was still walking slowly toward him. The boy froze under his steady gaze and relived the terror he had felt a month before. His small hand reached up to brush the bandages that hid his hair and the damage beneath it.

He saw and felt it all again. A jumbled rush of fear and pain as the one they all called monster lifted him up and threw him and the sickening feeling of landing as the one they all called hero wasn't in time to catch him.

Loki nodded and the boy shuffled forward. He could no more disobey the monster's call than that of his mother. He was terrified and his shattered mind fought his obedient legs even as Loki's blue eyes drew him forward. He came to within an arm's reach and stopped.

Thor struggled against the restricting energy and Loki once again felt every fragment of bone in his chest shift. Determination was etched on every line of his face and seemed to mingle with the perspiration of effort. He slowly reached up and touched the boy's head with first one hand and then, never dropping the child's terrified gaze, lowered the other.

Thor realized he was free too late. Emerald energy was already surging from Loki's hands into the boy and the child stood still, shocked. Until he started screaming. Concerned yells from the boy's caretakers filtered through the doorway. They grew closer, drawn by their charge's distress.

Loki's eyes were clenched shut and he was shaking. Thor stepped forward, but the energy repulsed him. He stood by and watched, a cry of anger dying on his lips as a final realization dawned on him.

When Loki breathed, everything shifted again and his screams joined the boy's. Blood began to pool beneath him even as his heart fluttered in his crumbling chest. He shook so hard he feared he would rattle the child into more pieces than he already had. Then something shifted and as he felt more presences push at the edges of his energy, it was over and he fell back into the sun-warmed grass.

Loki's vision was graying and he barely registered the enraged shouts or the whole-again boy being dragged to safety. He couldn't feel himself breathing, which he thought was odd since every movement should have been agony. He wondered if he was simply _not_ breathing as he blinked at the coppery ceiling. With only a small feeling of puzzlement, he found he could taste the metal. Though, somewhere in his mind he knew it was only blood. His hand found the deep gash in his side that was once more gushing crimson, unrestricted by magic. The Asgardian soldier had seen his opportunity and taken it, and Loki did not blame him. He wondered what good his hand thought it could do to keep his life from escaping.

Then he realized it was Thor's hand and he thought _Oh_. He looked up at his brother, whose golden hair replaced the view of the golden ceiling. Something other than bone shifted in Loki's chest and he smiled his farewell. Something other than hatred shifted in Thor's and he cried his own.

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Thanks for reading to the end :) if you made it this far, I'm proud. Almost 75 views and not a single comment. I'm not quite sure what to make of that, so leave a review if you have the time.


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